The Sex Change Capital of The U.S.

A Small Rocky Mountain Town Is Home To A Cottage Industry Helping Transgender People

(CBS)  When people decide to make one of the most drastic changes in their lives, they often head to the most unlikely town you could ever imagine. Our Cover Story is reported by Seth Doane:

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Trinidad looks pretty much like any small town. Home to about 10,000 people, it's tucked in the Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado.

It's the kind of place where the day's highlight might be a game of hoops, or perhaps a loaf of freshly baked bread.

Once a stop along the old Santa Fe Trail, Trinidad's always been on the frontier.

Mayor Joe Reorda says it's a "live and let live" kind of place.

"I'll tell you what - I could walk into any house in this town, if I needed a thousand dollars, if they didn't have it, they'd find it someplace to give it to me. That's the kind of town that we are - we take care of each other," Reorda said.

As a local doctor it's Marci Bowers' job to care, but she's not your typical small-town doc.

"She's a boon to this community," said Trish Keck.

Radio announcer David Phillips said of Bowers, "In town people know her, like her, see her interact with her. But really, they don't treat her any differently than any other doctor you'd see in town at the grocery store."

So what's so special about Doctor Bowers?

"It was just interesting," Bowers told Doane, "because everyone thought, 'Oh, how cute. We have a lady OB-GYN moving into town. How sweet.' You know? And little by little - you know, some of these media things happened - people began to find out about me. And it was like, 'Oh, well, that's interesting.'"

Interesting because before she was Doctor Marci Bowers she was Doctor Mark Bowers.

In 1998, Dr. Bowers underwent sexual reassignment surgery - a "sex change" operation.

"Gender is from the shoulders up," she said. "It's what you think of yourself inside. So the hard part and the discomfort and the reason why people pursue hormones and surgery is [when] those two things don't match."

And now today she performs that very same surgery on hundreds of patients every year, right here in Trinidad.

But this story doesn't begin with Marci Bowers. In 2003, she took over from Dr. Stanley Biber who started the nation's first private practice for gender reassignment surgery back in 1969.

"He would educate little by little," Bowers said. "And people would meet transgendered people one by one. And pretty soon the town came to realize that, you know, we were helping these people. And they were in turn providing an economic stimulus to the small community."

And so Trinidad, Colorado came to be known as the "sex-change capital of the United States."

Almost 40 years later, Mayor Reorda says to everyone here it's very old news indeed:

In fact, when folks like us come around, townspeople like Pastor Dick Valdez confess it's kind of "been there, done that."

"Well, let's put it this way: Valdez told Doane. "I heard that you were in town yesterday. And, you know, it immediately clicks, 'Well, they're gonna be doing the transgender reassignment whatever deal again.' And it's like, 'Okay, we've had Geraldo here, and we've had Oprah here, you know? I think we get a little tired of that being our claim to fame."

Still, for some, it's a very big deal. In fact, for about 300 Americans every year, Trinidad is a destination that's part of a life-long journey.

It is for this woman. We'll call her Lynn (see here with Dr. Bowers). When we met her on the eve of her sexual reassignment surgery, she viewed it as a turning point so emotional, so scary, she wouldn't let us show her face.

"It got time to the point where it was either suicide or surgery, suicide or transition, really. It got down to that point."

"That was the choice?" Doane asked.

"I could not ignore my feelings anymore."

For years, Lynn says she tried to numb the pain by abusing substances, even cutting herself.

She's come all the way from the East Coast believing that this surgery may offer some answers.

"I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm relieved," she said.

The next morning, Doctor Bowers prepares for the procedure. As you might expect, it's complicated, controversial, and incredibly costly.

Though estimates vary widely, it's estimated roughly 1,000 people undergo sexual reassignment surgery every year, despite the price tag of about $18,000 dollars.

For Lynn, like most Americans, it's not covered by insurance.

Dr. Bowers said there may be as many as 25 doctors in the U.S. who have ever done such surgery. "But in terms of one who [does] them on a regular basis, I would say, fewer than six."

After a few days of recovery, most patients will return home.

But a few others, like Michelle Miles, will remain.

"You know, Trinidad was a place that has a lot of lore for a transsexual," she said. "I mean, this is where modern transsexual surgery in the United States was born."

Once an investment banker in New York City, Michelle was Michael Miles. She traveled to Trinidad for the surgery, and says she stayed for the peace and quiet.

"I think there's some legacy of this rugged Western individualism here where people just have a lot of respect for your choice in how to lead your life," she said.

But most, like Lynn, return home, where we caught up with her 3-1/2 months after the surgery to see how things were going.

This time, she was willing to let us show her face, and reveal her name: meet Rebecca Lynn Jamison.

Why did she decide to come out and reveal her identity?

"I'm not sure, really," she said. "It's just I'm not concerned about hiding, you know? I don't want to feel like I'm coming out of one closet and going into another by hiding my past."

A past, she says, that was incredibly painful ...

"There were times when I held a loaded pistol to my head. And I thought all I had to do was pull the trigger."

Rebecca is 37. She works for a large financial institution in the Southeast. For a long time she says she tried to hide who she really was, even joining the military - all, she says, in vain.

"Maybe if I'm just man enough, I can deal with this," she said. "I can push it aside. I can bury it. I can overcome it. I tried to do that. And it never worked."

So two years ago, Rebecca began living as a woman. In the transgendered universe, it's just one of the steps in a process called "transition."

"We're not all like Jerry Springer, like the show," she told Doane. "We're regular people just like everyone else. We're just trying to deal with a serious issue that quite often leads to suicide. We run the risk of losing family, friends, our children and even our lives just for trying to be who we are."

"You've had complications from the surgery," Doane asked. "Some of the recovery has been quite tough. Is it worth it?"

"Yes, it is worth it. I would go through this again even knowing what I know now. I know that complications are a risk. And for me, it was totally worth it."

Still, Rebecca confesses she worries that by speaking up, by showing her face, she might become a target for those who disapprove of what she's done.

Back in Trinidad, we asked Dr. Bowers about what she says to those who say, "This is immoral. You shouldn't be doing this. This is wrong"?

"I'm happy to let God be the judge of that," she said. "I'm pretty self assured in knowing that we are helping people."

Pastor Dick Valdez (left) agrees … to a point. How does he reconcile his religious beliefs with Marci Bowers' practice?

"Well, I think she's trying to help people. I think that's what churches should be about. We're all looking for help and at the same time trying to help people. We would disagree on how she's trying to help people."

Still, for the most part the town of Trinidad seems proud of their doctor … and the cottage industry that's put it on the map.

It doesn't appear to faze locals a bit as we found out at a Tuesday night basketball game at Trinidad High.

"Yea, man, these people are great," Jerrod told Doane. "I love 'em."

"Do you ever hear about Marci Bowers and her practice?" she asked.

"I know her, I play golf with her sometimes. She's pretty good!"

In fact, a lot of folks in town seem to be telling the rest of us to, well, just get over it.

A woman serving coffee to Doane said, "You know, there are a lot of us in Trinidad working very hard to make the story of this town about more than sex changes."

"I think we all kind of in a way are fatigued by talking about it," Bowers said. "But obviously, there's a need. There continues to be a need because you know, until the world really understands, it's going to be an issue."

[hypnotoad72]

I''d hate to be the community organizer of that town...

At least they have gender alteration surgery. There are far more worrisome things that can''t be altered; especially when it''s the media that does more to foist up *** than anything else. Apart from Sigmund Freud, but he needed to see a shrink to tend to his fixation...

[orge21]

It''s a wonderful little CO town. Visit it sometime.
The fall is beautiful. I''m sure the community organizer
is happy in his work.

[musicvid]

When I saw that Trinidad, CO was being featured on Sunday Morning I was excited because I thought the story would be about the economic impact to the area of the new Vestas wind turbine plant in neighboring Pueblo. With billions in economic stimulation, thousands of new jobs, and star status in an emerging industry, this certainly is big news in an area blighted since the decline of the steel industry in the seventies.

This story though, about ***-change surgery is, well -- no news. Why retell old news when there is such exciting and relevant change on the horizon?

[mawskrat]

boy or should I say girl..those folks are confused.

[felbenavidez]

Been there, done that is so true! My friend called and woke me up excited that Trinidad would be on Sunday Morning. We were hoping the story would be about how the Army is trying to eliminate the ranchers of SE Colorado. My family has been in the Trinidad area since 1872 and has owned land there since 1945 (several hundred acres). Talk to the Pinion Canyon Coalition and ask them about families like mine that have built and continue to live the American Dream. Talk to the children of the ranchers whose future livelihood is threatened to be destroyed. Ask the army how they can live with taking away the future of these children. The army will tell you that they have lowered the take over amount form 418,000 acres to 100, 000%u2026but that is still 100,000 acres too many! SUNDAY MORNING DO THE RIGHT THING! COVER THIS STORY!

[armstrong822]

I lived in Trinidad for 2 1/2 years! Yes its very beautiful. But lets mention the poverty, women an children living under bridges an out of cars! Its also called the welfare capitol! Wheres that story? Oh an i seriuosly doubt anyone would help give out 1,000 dollars! The town is divided into 2 groups the new comers an the ones that have lived there since the 1800s! An believe me the new people arent treated very nice! So lets tell the truth about this town!

[maiingan]

I changed the channel as soon as I saw what this story was about. It''s amazing how the means to do something enables people to argue that the decision to do it is OK. The "surgery" these people - as well as society at large - need is on sexism and sexual stereotypes, not ***. The only people who truly need physical surgery are those whose reproductive systems are not one or the other.

[jerindc]

"*** change" surgery does not change the gender of an individual...it only aligns the body to the correct gender.

if, as a woman, you discovered that you grew an abnormal protuberance in your private area i am fairly certain that you would want the condition medically corrected. likewise, if a man grows large breasts, it is cause for medical treatment or surgery. there is no need or cause to refer to those seeking gender related corrective surgery as confused or fixated. those who do so are misinformed or confused. i do realize that unless you are transgender you might find it difficult to empathize or understand the need for gender related surgery. the reality is that in the overwhelming majority of gender corrective surgery the medical and psychological outcome is positive and successful. there is no "fulfilled fantasy", but merely a sense of comfort and belonging to one''s own body. as a transsexual woman, i can personally attest to this statement.

procedures like these are very private decisions...many who are transgender never have the procedures performed. certainly, the procedures do not need to be sensationalized with titles like "*** change capital of the U.S." - which trinidad is not, by the way. judging from other posts, the town of trinidad has a breaking news story concerning the local ranchers and the army. why not cover something relevant...instead of sensationalizing a fairly common procedure that helps people?

[l8c6]

Oh for Christ Sake. Are there people out there that are truly that screwed up?? Well I guess so. Soo Sad.

Posted by grayjs5099----

Or maybe you are...that''s just so sad I''ll bet. Let it be. If only there was outrage for the violence that we so proudly generate blaming the "enemy" for our willful actions of violence like some sort of wife beater.

[beehive21-2009]

Whats the problem,in America your allowed to do with your body as you see fit, some eat till they''re fat others the opposite.All these people are the opposite, imprisoned in the wrong body,Like a girl in a mans body,so they change it''s Psychological,you know,so, back off, live and let live.

[airboatboy]

Change? Doe''s Obama have anything to do with this?

[messiahx4eve]

How about trying this for some REAL change, everyone just mind their own business and live your own lives as you see fit? Wise people keep their mouths shut and just smile, stupid ones open their mouths and remove ALL DOUBT.

[downsteamjim]

To Nancy Naive: Do think that there is some kind of religious shrine there that miraculously changes peoples ***?

[sdqueen2000]

My goodness, what is happening to Colorado?
This is not the same State I left years back.
This is what happens when the state starts turning Blue (from Red), it is so sad, what a shame :(

[vechibless]

'' .. i had an horrible dream, i was on some sparcely traveled trail, feeling lost, and hungry, and i says to some small girl huvan, i''m hungry, and she says: and you want what, some handout, some directions to some more populated venue, if you''ve got some money i''ll give you some crumbs, and if you''ve no money, i''ll take your baby, cause the likes of you''ve got no place with any baby, especially if you''ve no crumbs to throw at it, and after i''d said i''d no money, she wistled and all these helicopters and tanks and thugs with guns appeared, she quickly fired three cage companys, scolded four others, made a purchace from one before scolding them for their other offerings, she then fired some arresting officet teams, and scolded some more before purchasing from another and then scolding them for their alternative selections, then she had me arrested and started firing judges and jurys and attorneys .. ''

'' .. a grain of sand is a map of forever, a book of infinite maps of each of the infinte forevers in forever, to look on sand as something as less than eternity herself is the same as to look on eternity herself as less than a grain of sand, the two are indistinguishable, except in the interpretations of the eyes and ears of hearts and minds .. ''

[loyalto1]

These people need a psychologist not a *** change.

[robertkjjj]

Bunch of psychotic freaks.
And not one of them will be happy after the s*ex change.
You cant buy happiness when you''re so mentally ill you don''t know what s*ex you should be.

[coloradojess]

sdqueen2000 , There have been surgeries performed in T-dad since the 70''s. This is not new . When I was a student nurse we worked with Dr Biber in 1977. These surgeries whether you agree or not have kept the hospital in Trinidad from Closing. This is a low income, farming, mining community and they need that hospital.My family still lives there and they have more important things to worry about. The economy, gas prices, the army wanting to take over land, healthcare, etc.

[hypnotoad72]

They can wear more make-up, grow the hair longer, and chop off the willie, but they ought to do something about the cheekbones.

[dakotaclark]

Hmmm...

Well, one thing for sure - if you are a b-u-t-t ugly, overweight, not particularly good looking guy, and you go through reassignment surgery, do not expect life to improve any time soon.

You will become a b-u-t-t ugly, overweight, not particularly good looking female.

You still will have the same hangups and mental health issues, only without your male equipment.

People who want reassignment are mentally ill; and they need psychiatric care and handling.

The doctors who perform such surgeries are nothing more than con artists, earning enormous incomes by taking advantage of people and the taxpayers.

You do not see many reassignment doctors doing the procedure for free, do you?

[raskal_2]

...and of the real men in town when one has had a few and it''s near closing time? One has to wonder...

[haoli25]

Trinidad is an ugly, dirty, nasty-looking little town. Thank goodness for the Interstate, you don''t even have to stop.

[vechibless]

'' .. i had an horrible dream, i was on a sparcely traveled trail, feeling lost and cancered, and says to a small girl huvan, i''m cancered, and she says: and you want some handout or some directions to some more populated venue? if you''ve got some moments i''ll give you some forever, and if you''ve none, i''ll love you, baby, cause likes of you''ve got no place without any love, especially if you''ve got no moments, after i''d said i''d no moments, she wistled and all these kids and old folk and ill with smiles and songs appeared, i quickly fired three surgeon companys, scolded four others, made a purchace from one before scolding them for their other offerings, i then fired some nursing teams, and scolded some more before purchasing from another and then scolding them for their alternative selections, then i had me hospitalized and started firing interns and chefs and insurance adjustets .. ''

'' .. theres so many infinite numbers maps of each of infinite numbers forevers in forever that i''s often dificult to know which map; fortunately, because each is ultimately translated in minds eyes anyways, it tends to be as well and easy to find next town or cure by guessing and wishing as by bothering to solicit observations of all hearts and minds in the worlds .. ''

'' .. frog sat quietly among flowers, flys all about, the frog ate a fly, after that briefest most absolute moment of war, all was again quiet for most of the hour and the night and forever .. ''

[vechibless]

'' .. i had an horrible dream, i was on some sparcely traveled trail, feeling lost, and hungry, and i says to some small girl huvan, i''m hungry, and she says: and you want what, some handout, some directions to some more populated venue, if you''ve got some money i''ll give you some crumbs, and if you''ve no money, i''ll take your baby, cause the likes of you''ve got no place with any baby, especially if you''ve no crumbs to throw at it, and after i''d said i''d no money, she wistled and all these helicopters and tanks and thugs with guns appeared, she quickly fired three cage companys, scolded four others, made a purchace from one before scolding them for their other offerings, she then fired some arresting officet teams, and scolded some more before purchasing from another and then scolding them for their alternative selections, then she had me arrested and started firing judges and jurys and attorneys .. ''

'' .. a grain of sand is a map of forever, a book of infinite maps of each of the infinte forevers in forever, to look on sand as something as less than eternity herself is the same as to look on eternity herself as less than a grain of sand, the two are indistinguishable, except in the interpretations of the eyes and ears of hearts and minds .. ''

[sistatee-2009]

I bet the homeless don''t dumpster-dive in that town.

[fragglerawk]

These people don''t need a hardware update; they need new firmware.

[closethippy1]

Someone needs to let TRRRISLAM and ONEAMERICAN know about this.
Too bad there''s no brain change operation that can save these two fascists.

[tmittelstaed]

I''ve always felt *** change surgery to be very sad. Having known a man who changed to a ''woman'' and being a man myself I can assure you that once you have met one of these people, you can spot a transgendered person in a few minutes. When they have had *** change surgery they are basically consigning themselves to a very lonely life. For starters they are permanently closing the door on having biological children. And they are also closing the door on most future sexual relationships. Not to mention the fact that *** change surgery is cosmetic only, they cannot reroute the nerves in the genitals to the new "constructions" so they are giving up orgasms.
Of course, most of them are happier after the surgery - they have convinced themselves that it is what they need, and once it is completed there is no going backwards, which is a powerful incentive to continue to believe it was the right choice.
But, in the long run it is much better for them to come to terms with their own homosexuality and establish a loving and long term relationship with another gay person, than to try to convince themselves that they aren''t really gay, they are just born with the wrong equipment.

[mydiatribe]

The ULTIMATE INSANE ACT of a troubled human being.
Any Doctor or town laying claim to this orchestrated perversion preying on the weak minded for profit best prepare to feel the wrath of God. Evidence: Sodom & Gommorah!

[mydiatribe]

If a glitch in your cable company''s ability to provide reliable service interrupts your TV program, you don''t send your TV set out to be converted to a
laptop computer???

[cozzicon]

""I don''''t care which gender God selected for me. I know better!""-- Posted by anon00

I don''t care which birth defect God gave me- I know better.

I don''t care which cancer God gave me I know better.

There is a saying:

The Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic was built by professionals.

But who built the iceberg?

[gunfighter51]

Before I read this article, I would have sworn it would be San Fransisco. Surprise, surprise.

Betty,
I hope none of your women are coming from Trinidad.

[lambofgoth]

Donnie is really, really excited by this story.

[gunfighter51]

I think Donnie may have formerly been Donielle.

[neoconrcrazy]

if McBush did a s e x change, I might consider voting for him -

[questionnews]

Everytime I hear about this subject, my mind can only picture Mr./ Ms. Garrison from South Park.

[kommoncents-2009]

Hey gophockeymom why don''t you get off the ''net you crazy religious kook and go to church and pray and leave the rest of us alone. You''re a hypocrite and nutcase going around telling everyone god is going to hate them and make them burn in h*ll. You are the only one that is going to burn you moron.

[questionnews]

Hey gophockeymom why don''''t you get off the ''''net you crazy religious kook and go to church and pray and leave the rest of us alone. You''''re a hypocrite and nutcase going around telling everyone god is going to hate them and make them burn in h*ll. You are the only one that is going to burn you moron.

Posted by KOMMONCENTS at 10:56 AM : Sep 08, 2008

Dude! You are being played by a well known poser troll. Fish On!!

[ZoeBrain]

donnie877 at 07:12 AM : Sep 08, 2008 is right, but not in the way he means. Transsexuals already have that essential difference, no matter what they look like. That''s why they transition.
Autopsies and fMRI scans show they have cross-gendered lymbic nuclei (part of the brain). They literally have male brains and female bodies, or female brains with male ones. The scientific studies showing this are available on the web, it''s no secret. Just not well publicised.

[ZoeBrain]

donnie877 at 07:12 AM : Sep 08, 2008 is right, but not in the way he means. Transsexuals already have that essential difference, no matter what they look like. That''s why they transition.
Autopsies and fMRI scans show they have cross-gendered lymbic nuclei (part of the brain). They literally have male brains and female bodies, or female brains with male ones. The scientific studies showing this are available on the web, it''s no secret. Just not well publicised.

[ZoeBrain]

For those who think this is something done as a matter of fad or fashion - you need clearance from a psych before starting hormones, that takes a 3 month long evaluation. Then, maybe a year or three later, you''ll be cleared for the "real life test" of living in the target gender role for at least a year. And *then* you need a peer-reviewed clearance by a specialist PhD psych before surgery can be authorised.
Yes, you need 2 psychs to say you''re indubitably sane, or you couldn''t give informed consent to surgery, can you?

[ZoeBrain]

sillywilly4 - Most TS people are straight, but yes, some TS people are gay. They get surgery to transition from female to male, but are attracted to other men. And some TS people are lesbian, they get surgery to transition from male to female, but are attracted to other women. That''s about 30% of them.

Before libelling people as "perverts", maybe you should learn something about the facts first. For example, the people with 5ARD or 17BHDD who are born looking female, but get a natural *** change to male at puberty. Some can even be fathers. It''s not as simple as you might think.

[neenga]

"SICK AND WRONG!!!! UnNatural... Just sick and WRONG!!!"

Yes, AmericanBiker, you are.

[avigil2]

Everybody gay wants to make everyone else gay. They want us to accept that this is normal for so many to be gay like it''''s a mistake in the genes (No pun intended). - posted by sillywilly4

Are you serious? Being transgendered has nothing to do with being gay. I know of no gay person (and I know a lot) that want to dress up in women''s close and/or have a S E X operation. Get educated on the subject before you spill your ignorance.

And to gophockeymom: spoken like a true Christian. Sad... so very sad.

[hwy71so]

Well, there''s something to brag on.

Perverts! A WHOLE TOWN proud of being perverts!

[tamara_alexi]

I only saw a portion of the show on Sunday.
I was born intersexed, not told about it and when I tried to have children I found out that I could not father or mother children.
You seen I was born with both, operated on at seven weeks, changed to male because of the size of a protusion. When I was in my thirties I started growing breasts. It was then that I found out more about me and the butcher job the Air Force Doctors did on me.

[tamara_alexi]

It has been a hard road. I have tried to live as a male but to no avail as most seem me as female.
The problem is not with being gay as that is sexual preference, and gender is gender. It has cost me a great deal.
In response to a lonly life, I would have to say that a life is better than no life and my faith does not allow me to take my own life. But to be able to face the world every day and feel good about the person you are is the best in the world. Much like a woman who has breast augumentation,or anyother cosmetic procedure.
for the rest.. well I cannot begain to describe the problems I have had since my body stopped producing testostrone, and things have been changing. I feel the biggest item is this is something that can only be delt with for a period of time,. it''s not a psych. problem. it''s about being. 1 in 10,000 are born with some kind of sexual defect. they and we have been fixed molded cut, and changed to be presentable to the world as a whole. Becuse if this we now fit society as deemed by an out of date reference to John Mooney.

[tamara_alexi]

I am appaled that the people in the US cannot comprehend this. I am ashamed that people feel this way. It''s no wonder special legislation has to be passed for employment. I have always judged people on their abilits their work perofrmance, compassion, and values in the work place. What the wear, whom they sleep with or what they prefere should not be a drect reflection of employment. This is the reason many of the special legislation for discrimonation in the work place needs to be passed.
If you are disgusted with this, I truly hope that no-one in your family is cursed with being intersexed or transgender for they will surely have a harsh life and I pray that they do not become sucidial.
This is more common than many think 1 in 10,000 births.

[tamara_alexi]

I would ike to belive that I was made in gods image, I was born intersexed, I have both male and female.
I am not an abomonation, I do beleive in God, I have given my heart to my faimly growing up, and the one I have married into, prior to finding out about my conditiion.
I
Did
Nothing... nothing....
to
creat this on my own.
yet
I
must conform to the stereo types of gender either male or female to fit in the so narrow vies of many.

[yellowfinch-2009]

TMI! LOL